Wounded Warriors Equipped to Fight New Battle for Recovery

Ten local warriors recently attended a Wounded Warrior Project(R) (WWP) mental health workshop at a mountain lodge and ski park in Pennsylvania. These gatherings are often the first time warriors leave their homes to connect with others in their communities.

WINCHESTER, Va., Feb. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ten local warriors recently attended a Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) mental health workshop at a mountain lodge and ski park in Pennsylvania. These gatherings are often the first time warriors leave their homes to connect with others in their communities.

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"I never thought I'd do something like this," said Dave Han, 25-year retired U.S. Marine Corps officer from Winchester, Virginia. "But I chose to trust the environment because other veterans were too. We all understand and respect each other, and we were all there for a common purpose – to heal."

WWP's Combat Stress Recovery Program (CSRP) addresses the mental health needs of warriors returning from war. Through the generous support of donors, WWP offers veterans specialized mental health programs and services – tailored to each warrior's specific needs and free of charge.

One such program is its multi-day mental health workshops that are offered as all-male, all-female, or all-couples. These workshops provide safe, private environments for warriors to express themselves and share their combat experiences. By the end, warriors share lessons learned from the activities that impacted their personal struggles most and set achievable goals for their recoveries.

WWP staff use certain activities in a recovery model that allows warriors to be vulnerable to the unknown and identify and work through anxieties together. As warriors brave slopes standing as tall as 2,994 feet in elevation at the park, they are actively honoring the oaths they agreed to at the beginning of the workshop, including "to let go and move on," "to care for self and others," and "to be present in their recovery."

And they tackled the mountain like the warriors they are.

"The group activities really impacted my recovery," Dave said. "Before the workshop, I spent my days isolated with my dog. But the activities purposely put us in situations that were outside of our safety zones, and we learned we could rely on each other – that battle buddies can continue beyond mililary service. I'm going home with the goal to be present and available in life."